1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical element fixing component and an imaging unit.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, an optical element used in an optical device such as an endoscope or a camera is fixed to the device by a lens barrel. In the past, the lens barrel used to fix the optical element was manufactured by using a resin or metal material.
A lens barrel using the resin material is manufactured through injection molding due to the satisfactory moldability of the resin, and has characteristics such that the productivity thereof is excellent compared with a lens barrel obtained by using a metal material. As a lens barrel using the resin material, for example, there is known an endoscope lens barrel shown in Japanese Patent Application, Publication No. 2006-122498.
The lens barrel using the metal material is manufactured through cutting or die-casting, and has characteristics such that the strength and durability thereof are excellent compared with a lens barrel using the resin material. As a lens barrel using the metal material, for example, there is known an endoscope lens barrel shown in Japanese Patent Application, Publication No. 2006-075341.
In addition, as a lens barrel using the resin or metal material, for example, there are known camera lens barrels shown in Japanese Patent Application, Publication Nos. 2004-148525 and 2007-140401. Meanwhile, as methods of bonding the optical element to the lens barrel, there are known bonding through solder (refer to Japanese Patent Application, Publication No. 2007-140401), bonding through thermal caulking (refer to Japanese Patent Application, Publication No. 2004-147032), and bonding through adhesive.